Generally speaking, the present invention is directed toward a new and improved ice product or ice cube of the type which is commonly utilized for cooling beverages and the like, and toward a new and improved ice making machine for producing such ice products. More specifically, the present invention is directed toward an ice product having improved ice storage, appearance, and dispensing and displacement characteristics, as compared to various types of prior art ice in cube or other form. Additionally, the present invention is directed toward an ice making machine for producing the aforesaid products which incorporates a novel combination evaporator and ice form assembly and method of making the same. The assembly, in one preferred form of the present invention, includes a combination evaporator and ice form plate which is intended to be vertically arranged and have ice make-up water cascaded over the opposite sides thereof such that the ice product or "cubes" are formed in ice forming pockets or recesses formed on the opposite sides of the assembly. A novel water manifold arrangement is provided adjacent the top of the ice form assemblies for distributing the ice make-up water thereover. It is contemplated that one or more of such ice form assemblies, in alternative forms of the present invention, be mounted in horizontal or inclined positions. Additionally, while in the preferred form of the present invention, the ice forming pockets or recesses are disposed in staggered relationship on the opposite sides of each of the combination evaporator and ice form assemblies, it is contemplated that the ice forming pockets could be arranged in nonsymmetrical arrangement relationship or formed around the periphery of an annular or polygonally-shaped structure, as will hereinafter be described in detail.
The combination evaporator and ice form assemblies each include an evaporator conduit that is arranged in a predetermined configuration so as to cooperate with a plurality of heat transfer elements which partially define the ice forming pockets. As is well known in the art, the evaporator conduit serves to communicate refrigerant through the evaporator assembly to effect freezing of the ice make-up water communicated to the ice forming pockets, and during the harvest cycle, hot refrigerant gases are circulated through the conduit to effect release of the thereto formed ice cubes, as will hereinafter be described in detail. A preferred assemblage of the evaporator conduit and associated heat transfer elements is a monolithic structure resulting from subjecting such assembly to a molding operation wherein a polymeric material, such as plastic, is molded around and through the interstices of the assembly to define the marginal edge portions of the ice forming pockets. The heat transfer members are formed such that the pockets on the opposite sides of the assemblies are staggered with respect to one another to provide for a highly compact arrangement which is efficient insofar as space requirements and also insofar as the energy requirements needed to effect heat transfer from the ice make-up water being supplied to the ice forming pockets, whereby the ice producing capacity of the present invention, for a given measure of space and a given refrigeration system, is considerably greater than various types of prior art arrangements. An additional feature of the present invention resides in the elimination of the need of any spray bars or other water distributing devices which have been heretofore rotatably or oscillatably mounted in prior art arrangements for supplying water to associated ice molds. Accordingly, the number of moving parts of the present invention is minimized to the extreme, whereby to provide for economy of production, maintenance, and so to assure for a long and effective operational life, as will hereinafter be described in detail.